Infant monitoring system with video-based temperature baselining and elevated temperature detection

Abstract

A method of monitoring physical characteristics of subjects in sleep environments may include receiving, through a video camera, a video feed of a subject in a sleep environment, where the video camera may include a thermal imaging camera, and where the video feed may include thermal images of a face of the subject. The method may also include establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject. The method may additionally include identifying a thermal anomaly by comparing the baseline thermal signature to a current thermal image of the face of the subject. The method may further include identifying a condition of the subject based on the thermal anomaly.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method of monitoring physical characteristics of subjects in sleep environments, the method comprising:
 receiving, through a video camera, a video feed of a subject in a sleep environment, wherein the video camera comprises a thermal imaging camera, and wherein the video feed comprises thermal images of a face of the subject;   establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject;   identifying a thermal anomaly by comparing the baseline thermal signature to a current thermal image of the face of the subject; and   identifying a condition of the subject based on the thermal anomaly.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the video feed to identify the face of the subject using a facial recognition algorithm. 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising analyzing the video feed to identify the face of the subject by matching a thermal signature to a pre-recorded thermal signature corresponding to the subject. 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3 , further comprising causing the video camera to zoom and focus on the face of the subject after the face of the subject is recognized. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises averaging a plurality of facial images from a plurality of sleep sessions. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises receiving a thermal signature from a signature database from a remote server. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises determining a thermal signature of the face within a normal temperature range. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , further comprising determining a temperature of the face of the subject based on the current thermal image of the face of the subject. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein determining the temperature of the face of the subject uses a transfer function based on a distance of the video camera to the face of the subject. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 9 , wherein determining the temperature of the face of the subject comprises determining a temperature around a perimeter of the subject and a point on the face of the subject having the highest identified temperature. 
     
     
         11 . A system for monitoring physical characteristics of subjects in sleep environments, the system comprising:
 a video camera;   one or more processors; and   one or more memory devices comprising instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, cause the one or more processors to perform operations comprising:
 receiving, through the video camera, a video feed of a subject in a sleep environment, wherein the video camera comprises a thermal imaging camera, and wherein the video feed comprises thermal images of a face of the subject; 
 establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject; 
 identifying a thermal anomaly by comparing the baseline thermal signature to a current thermal image of the face of the subject; and 
 identifying a condition of the subject based on the thermal anomaly. 
   
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise analyzing the video feed to identify the face of the subject using a facial recognition algorithm. 
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise analyzing the video feed to identify the face of the subject by matching a thermal signature to a pre-recorded thermal signature corresponding to the subject. 
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 13 , wherein the operations further comprise causing the video camera to zoom and focus on the face of the subject after the face of the subject is recognized. 
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises averaging a plurality of facial images from a plurality of sleep sessions. 
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises receiving a thermal signature from a signature database from a remote server. 
     
     
         17 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein establishing a baseline thermal signature of the face of the subject comprises determining a thermal signature of the face within a normal temperature range. 
     
     
         18 . The system of  claim 11 , wherein the operations further comprise determining a temperature of the face of the subject based on the current thermal image of the face of the subject. 
     
     
         19 . The system of  claim 18 , wherein determining the temperature of the face of the subject uses a transfer function based on a distance of the video camera to the face of the subject. 
     
     
         20 . The system of  claim 19 , wherein determining the temperature of the face of the subject comprises determining a temperature around a perimeter of the subject and a point on the face of the subject having the highest identified temperature.